Reid Praises Rush

News flash: Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) just praised Rush Limbaugh on the Senate floor.

Yup, the same Reid who lashed out at the radio show host earlier this month and rounded up 40  Democratic senators to sign a letter to Clear Channel boss Mark May, urging him to repudiate Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" comment, which was interpreted by some as an attack on soldiers who oppose the Iraq war.

But oh, how the storyline has changed. Limbaugh put the letter up for auction on Ebay, and it is now fetching more than $2 million. The proceeds will benefit Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, which provides scholarship assistance to Marines and federal law enforcement personnel whose parents fall in the line of duty.

"What could be a more worthwhile cause?" Reid asked today on the floor. "I think it's really good that this money on Ebay is going to be raised for this purpose. When I spoke to Mark May, he and I thought this probably wouldn't make much money, a letter written by Democratic senators complaining about something."

Interesting tidbit from Politico colleague Ben Smith: The original letter was apparently written by a staffer on a Blackberry in a U Street bar!

"Never did we think that this letter would bring money of this nature," Reid said. "Everyone knows that Rush Limbaugh and I don't agree on everything in life and maybe that is kind of an understatement. But without qualification, Mark May, the owner of the network that has Rush Limbaugh, and Rush Limbaugh should know that this letter that they're auctioning is going to be something that raises money for a worthwhile cause."

"Think of this, more than $2 million — that will really help," Reid said.

The auction ends in 13 minutes.